Roanoke in Leipzig, Germany

leipzip skyline

Study abroad in Germany with a Roanoke professor and Roanoke students

  • Earn Roanoke College credits. 
  • Open to all majors.
  • No German fluency needed. There is no language prerequisite.
  • Classes meet Monday through Thursday, so long weekends are available for travel around Europe.
  • Visit many UNESCO cultural and natural heritage sites
  • Courses offered will vary each year depending on the faculty leader's interest and subject area.
  • Deadline to apply: Email intled@roanoke.edu (Space is limited to 10 students)

Places you'll visit

As part of recent Leipzig programs

  • Three countries and around 10 different cities, large and small
  • Berlin and Strasbourg (for the Europe in Transition class)
  • Dresden, Edinburgh, and UNESCO World Heritage Sites like the Naumburg Cathedral, Wartburg Castle, or the treetop walkways at Hainich National Park (for the Heritage and Sustainability class)

On your own
You can travel anywhere in Europe very inexpensively. Barcelona, Prague, London were favorite destinations for prior Leipzig students.

Los geht's

Students standing in front of a wall coated in graffiti
A large building in Leipzig lit up at night
A large building in Leipzig lit up at night
A student smiling in front of some buildings in Leipzig
Students walking down a street with tall buildings on either side
Students standing in front of a wall coated in graffiti
Students standing at an overlook of a German city
Four students at a soccer game
A student overlooking a canal and a large building
A large building lit up at night
Students sitting down at a table to eat
A long street with tall buildings on either side
Students dressed up for Oktoberfest

Credits

All students: INQ260 and INQ271 substitutes; courses meet the INQ-Global requirement

Art History majors and minors: Heritage class counts as elective

Creative Writing, Communications, and Literary Studies majors: ENGL 356 counts as an elective

ENST majors: Heritage class substitutes for POLI 351 (Environmental Public Policy)

Foreign Politics Minor: both the Heritage and the Europe class count as electives

German minor: both the German language class and the German film class count

IR majors: credits for European Perspective, Global Perspective, and Comparative

POLI majors: credits for Comparative and POLI elective

Public History, Screen Studies, Anthropology, & PEAC concentrators: one credit counts as elective for the concentration

Public Health Studies major and minor: Receive elective credit (Heritage class substitutes for POLI 351, Environmental Public Policy)

Courses

Past courses:

Heritage: The politics of nature, culture, and sustainability
POLI/IR260 - equivalent to POLI/IR 351
Taught by: Dr. Andreea Mihalache-O’Keef, prof in Public Affairs and Environmental Studies

  • learn about sustainability in the country that is the poster child for progressive environmental policy;
  • visit cultural AND natural UNESCO World Heritage Sites around Germany;
  • reflect on the role of tradition and culture in sustainability.

Europe in transition: The EU, democracy, and citizenship 
POLI/IR260 - equivalent to POLI/IR 351
Taught by: Dr. Andreea Mihalache-O’Keef, prof in Public Affairs and Environmental Studies

  • use Germany’s museums to explore “big moments” in Europe after WW2;
  • visit EU headquarters in Strasbourg and the iconic Bundestag in Berlin;
  • reflect on citizenship, belonging, and the meaning of democracy.

The Other Side of the Wall—The German Democratic Republic in Film
ENG 356, can substitute for INQ 271

German 
No prerequisites necessary. Taught at whatever level.  Great opportunity to meet locals and experience German university life. 

Where You'll Live & Eat

Apartment in Leipzig

Housing for the semester and hotels for the group excursions are included in the program cost. Students will share comfortable modern apartments in the city of Leipzig.

Students will have use of a full, modern kitchen in their apartments and will be expected to cover their own grocery expenses and prepare their own meals while living in Germany. Rather than be charged the meal plan, students should travel with money to cover their meal costs for the semester. The only exceptions are a few special meals that will be included in group excursions.

river lined with buildings

While in Leipzig: Staying in a neighborhood dubbed Little Vienna, surrounded by canals, in the Elsterlofts Luxury Business Apartments. Apartments are cleaned weekly and fresh linens are brought in weekly as well. 

Apartment balconies covered in vines

Housing for the semester and hotels for the group excursions are included in the program cost. Students will share comfortable modern apartments in the city of Leipzig.

French building with foggy sky

For our week in Strasbourg, France: We will stay in a chateau.

detailed staircase railing

Enjoy the fine details of the French chateau. 

French chateau with fog in the courtyard

For our week in Strasbourg, France: We will stay in a chateau.

How to Apply

Deadline: Contact RIO at intled@roanoke.edu

Program fee: TBD. Covers airfare and all excursions. Your Roanoke College tuition and fees, and housing cover Leipzig tuition and housing. Roanoke scholarships are transferable. Students will not be charged the meal plan and will be responsible for their own food costs and cooking. 

Apply Now